HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
VonAppen helps Kalaheo to 3-0 start
The Kalaheo Mustangs have veered toward a new mentality and, more importantly, a winning season.
Delirious blue-and-orange clad fans cheered Kalaheo (3-0, 1-0 Oahu Interscholastic Association Red East) to its third straight win to open the season, a 28-14 decision over Moanalua at Kailua last night.
Quarterback Cody vonAppen, running the Mustangs' veer option, punched in a pair of 1-yard touchdowns in the second half to turn a 7-6 halftime advantage into a comfortable 21-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Kalaheo's last winning season was in 2001, when the Mustangs went 5-4 in the OIA White Division. They were 1-7 last year in their first season getting bumped back up to the Red Division.
"We're going to stay humble, not get too excited," second-year Kalaheo coach Chris Mellor said. "We're just going to keep playing Kalaheo football."
Suddenly, that phrase takes on a whole new meaning.
VonAppen, who threw three interceptions last week in a 28-25 victory at Iolani, looked more comfortable putting the ball in the air, tallying 191 yards on 9-for-20 passing. There were no picks this time, and the Mustangs got more than 50 yards rushing from Larry Soto, Max Karsten and Phil Tauai, who ran in the first score of the game from 8 yards out just before halftime.
"I like to mix it up so they don't know what's coming," said vonAppen, generously listed at 5-foot-10. "It's very exciting (for Kalaheo football). Coach Chris has instilled us with hard work and dedication, so he's really helping us to be the team that we want to be."
He was sacked four times, but on other occasions vonAppen punished Na Menehune with his agility and fearlessness. Receiver Bruce Andrews helped set up both of vonAppen's touchdowns with five catches for 116 yards.
"We know that we can run, we know that we can pass," Mellor said. "In the beginning it got slow because it's a league game."
Last season, Moanalua beat Kalaheo on a 2-point conversion to pull off a 37-36 stunner.
Moanalua went three and out on its first three drives, and would have done so on a fourth if the Mustangs hadn't aided them by roughing the Na Menehune punter. They were limited to just 55 yards of total offense in the first half, compared to 142 for Kalaheo.
Senior quarterback Jordan Monico, playing in his first game this season after spraining his knee in a team scrimmage, had a rushing score and 67-yard passing touchdown to Montay Rover for Moanalua (1-1-1 overall, 0-1 OIA Red East).
Moanalua coach Arnold Martinez listed Monico's return from the injury and team fatigue as the main reasons Na Menehune came up short.
"It's kind of hard when your defense is on the field the whole game," Martinez said. "And it's a game of emotions, and they started getting their emotions and momentum going and they did a good job of maintaining it."
INTERLEAGUE
No. 8 Mililani 29, Pac-Five 13
The Trojans' balanced offensive attack and Tonka Marsom's 69-yard interception return in the second quarter turned back the Wolfpack in an interleague game at Mililani.
No. 4 Kamehameha 21, Campbell 21
The Warriors led 21-0 after the first half and the Sabers came back and scored 21 to end the game in a tie. The Sabers were led by Samson Anguay's 102 yards on the ground.
Bishop's 44, Maui 2
Tim Costello scored a pair of touchdowns and kicked six extra points as Bishop's drilled Maui.
West Hills 37, St. Anthony 16
Eric Fiege scored from 15 and 30 yards out in the first half to lead the West Hills over the Trojans.
OIA RED EAST
Castle 14, McKinley 7
Knights quarterback Blake Rapozo completed nine passes to seven different receivers to rally Castle to its first win in an OIA Red matchup at Roosevelt. Earvin Sione broke off a 62-yard first quarter touchdown run down the sideline on the Tigers' first offensive series before Rapozo hooked up with Kawehi Sablan to pull Castle even at the half.
OIA WHITE
Anuenue 35, Kalani 0
Ehukai Nauka tossed two scoring passes to lead the Rainbow Warriors over the Falcons in an OIA White contest.